Motorsport101

And in our final Podcast before Christmas, Dre, RJ and Cam sit down for a nearly 3 hour long roundtable on the 2025 Formula 1 Season. The gang go team-by-team to breakdown their strengths, weaknesses, and what to expect heading into a radical 2026 regulation change. From Alpine and a miserable surrender half way through the season, to Kick Sauber's great comeback under the helm of Jonathan Wheatley and HULKENPODIUM. Aston Martin are setting up for their big crescendo under Adrian Newey, Racing Bulls had to deal with their bigger brothers mess, while Williams turned another huge corner to crack the Top 5.  At the front, Ferrari shat the bed, Mercedes still don't know how they're so fast, Red Bull's end of an era, and how McLaren dominated the season but still nearly ended up embarassed. All that and so much more inbetween in a Mega, Double length Motorsport101! Have a wonderful Christmas and we'll see you back here for the M101 Awards!

Return of the Marc, watch my flow, you know that I'll be back (Here I go...) Welcome to a bumper edition of the M101 Podcast as Dre, RJ and Cam review the 2025 MotoGP Season, with all the factories and their status spoken about as we enter a critical off-season! For Yamaha, is the switch to the V4 from their in-line history going to be enough for them to persuade Fabio Quartararto to sacrifice another two years of his prime to figure out. Is Honda going to sign a big hitter and if, which of their veterans are they going to release for them? And are they finally heading in the right direction? Is KTM about to be bought out from a new force from China, and if so, will that be enough to convince Pedro Acosta to stick around? Has Aprilia's progressed been masked by an injured Marquez? And what does Ducati do next after a messy season on and off the track?  All that and more across 2 hours on Motorsport101!

The record shows, he took the blows, and Lando did it his way. He is your 2025 Formula 1 World Champion, doing just enough to survive the final assault from Max Verstappen, who did everything he could to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Dre Harrison and RJ O'Connell reflect on what was actually a rather milquetoast decider, where everything the formbook suggested, just happened. McLaren played it super safe, Red Bull gambled and won one last time, George Russell and Charles Leclerc couldn't quite play spoiler. But we talk deeply about Lando Norris and the unique character that's made him a World Champion, Max Verstappen still pulling off the nearly unthinkable to end up just 2 points off the table after a 104 point deficit from Zandvoort, and Oscar Piastri's key role as the season's main antagonist.  We also talk about Fernando Alonso sneaking into the Top 6 in his final race of the year, Yuki Tsunoda actually taking a weaving penalty, and Helmut Marko being ejected from Red Bull Racing for getting a bit too keen to sign an Irish F2 ace...

No really McLaren, just wrap this shit up already. Honestly... ...Dre, Cam and RJ are back to review the penultimate race on the F1 2025 calendar at the Lusail International Circuit as Max Verstappen laid down one more victory to bring his Championship deficit to 12, and questions asked in the McLaren strategy department yet again. With the race a mandated two-stopper and 25 lap stint maximums were in effect, McLaren stayed out for "flexibility" sake and wanting to play fair, and it opened the door for Max Verstappen to punish them. Again. Cam blows his rag about putting the fries in the bag and wrapping this up, while Dre says that McLaren simply doesn't trust their riders. Is that the case, or is this just classic incompetence? There's also a hearty chat about the nasty online abuse suffered by Kimi Antonelli, Ferrari's new nadir after another hellaciously bad weekend, Carlos Sainz on the podium again for Williams and Red Bull's new driver lineup after Yuki Tsunoda says goodbye for Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad heads up from F2, to Racing Bulls.

Remember folks, what Verstappens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  Dre, Cam and RJ are back to review yet another mad twist in the Championship race. Max Verstappen overcome a wet qualifying session and a spooked Norris off the line to take a dominant win in Nevada, but with the added bonus of both McLaren's being disqualified after the race for excessive skid block wear. It turns out lifting and coasting and a really low ride height has been harming McLaren for some time. Are they at their limit, and can Norris wrap up the title this weekend in Qatar? The trio also talk about the big breaking news story - Adrian Newey is taking over Aston Martin as their Team Principal for the first time in his 30+ year career, with current team boss Andy Cowell moving into the engine department as Chief Strategic Officer. Can a 67-year old Newey steer Aston Martin to glory? Or is this a waste of the great man's holistic talents? There's also more on Mercedes double podium, Ferrari's malaise, whether Vegas is starting to fall flat and the maths heading into a Qatar GP where a 25-lap limit will be put on Pirelli's tires.